What is spironolactone and how does it work in the treatment of acne?

Spironolactone is a drug usually prescribed for patients with heart problems, high blood pressure and fluid retention. It can also have hormonal effects by blocking the action of androgens, “male hormones”, that are normally produced by women in low levels. Some women have raised levels of androgens or increased sensitivity to normal levels of androgens and this can lead to skin disorders. Spironolactone thus can be used in the management of these conditions.

What skin conditions are treated with spironolactone?

Spironolactone is used ‘off-licence’ to treat women with acne, female pattern hair loss and hirsutism (male pattern hair growth in women). “Off-licence” means that is not specifically indicated for these conditions in the prescribing licence. It is also used in the management of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). It is not usually given to men to treat skin problems. Will spironolactone cure my condition? Spironolactone is not a cure but taken long-term it can help control and sometimes clear acne. It can help reduce excess facial and body hair and improve the thickness of scalp hair in women with certain types of hair loss. The treatment works slowly over several months.

How long will I need to take spironolactone before I see an effect?

Most women find that their acne starts to improve after about 3 months of treatment. Hair complaints take longer, and treatment usually needs to be continued for up to six months before the benefit can be seen.

What are the common side effects of spironolactone?

Common side-effects in pre-menopausal women include breast tenderness/enlargement and irregular menstrual periods. These symptoms usually settle with continued treatment and may be helped by taking spironolactone with the oral contraceptive pill. Spironolactone can cause a drop in blood pressure when going from sitting to standing (postural hypotension) which causes dizziness, a light-headed feeling or fainting. Uncommon side effects include drowsiness, fatigue, headache, loss of libido (sex drive) and very rarely, confusion and loss of coordination. As this medication is a diuretic it can increase the amount of urine produced by the body.

What are the rare side effects of spironolactone?

Raised blood levels of potassium levels may occur during treatment with spironolactone. This is uncommon in younger patients (< 45 years) and those without heart or kidney problems and in people who do not take other drugs that affect potassium levels. It may very rarely cause abnormal blood counts and allergic rashes. Animal tests with very high doses of spironolactone showed a possible association with cancer, but this has not been observed in normal use of this medication in humans.

Are any other precautions necessary?

Do not take this medication if you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant as it can affect the normal development of your unborn child. Women taking spironolactone should use effective contraception to prevent pregnancy. Taking combined oral contraceptive pills in combination with spironolactone can increase its effectiveness in treating acne as well as providing contraception and reducing hormonal side-effects such as menstrual irregularities.

How will I be monitored for the side effects of spironolactone treatment?

Your doctor may recommend a blood test to check your potassium level before starting treatment and occasionally during treatment. These checks may be needed more frequently if you have heart or kidney problems or if you take other medication that affects potassium levels.

May I drink alcohol while taking spironolactone?

Drinking alcohol may increase some of the side-effects of spironolactone such as dizziness. It would be advisable to moderate your alcohol consumption in accordance with recommended guidelines.

Can I take other medicines at the same time as spironolactone?

If you are taking any of the following medications, please inform your doctor (you can check with your doctor or pharmacist): • Diuretics (“water tablets”) • Potassium supplements • ACE Inhibitors (eg quinapril, captopril) • Tablets for high blood pressure • Aspirin, indomethacin (an anti-inflammatory/analgesic drug) • Digoxin (used to treat heart conditions) • Trimethoprim and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (types of antibiotics)

What happens next?

If you would like to ask our Medical Director & Nurse Consultant, Sue Ibrahim a message, by all means do. We provide a responsive service that aims to set your mind at ease and ensure you are fully informed before booking your consultation. At Elan Medical Skin Clinic in Essex, all new patients receive a thorough consultation and medical assessment prior to treatment.

How do I book an appointment?

You can either call Elan Medical Skin Clinic on 01268 770660 between 9.30am and 5pm Monday to Saturday or you can click here to book online and one of our reception team will contact you by phone or email, whichever you prefer. You will be asked to pay your initial consultation fee by credit or debit card on confirming your appointment.

Could your gel manicure be causing you an itchy vagina?

If you have itchy skin, your initial consultation is your first step to resolving the problem.

Gel manicures are extremely popular, even our Dermatology Nurse Consultant has them. However, the British Association of Dermatologist has issued a warning about the growing number of women that are presenting with irritant contact dermatitis in sensitive areas of the skin, such as the eyes and the genital area from a chemical used in Gel nail varnish.

Gel nails, acrylic nails and gel polish nails all contain high quantities of an irritant chemical called Meth acrylate. Like most substances that cause irritant contact dermatitis, you may not notice an allergy immediately. The allergy is more likely to become more prevalent with constant use. Following a gel manicure, if you then touch your eyes or other sensitive areas, this can flare up an allergic reaction in that area.

According to Sue Ibrahim, we are seeing a growing number of skin issues of this nature in Essex. ‘The fashion for Gel nails and gel polish in Essex is huge at the moment and we are not surprised that we are seeing a rise in skin allergies caused by the chemicals contained with the products as well as the solvents that are used to remove the polish or the acrylic nails”.

How do I book a Dermatology Consultation?

If you have an itchy rash, you can book a dermatology consultation by calling Elan Medical Skin Clinic on 01268 770600 between the hours of 9.30-5pm Monday to Saturday. Or you click here to fill in a contact form. Elan Medical Skin Clinic is regulated by the Care Quality Commission.

Click here to read what our patients are currently saying about Elan Medical Skin Clinic in Rayleigh, Essex.

Skin Cancer Screening, Mole Checking and Mole Removal Services

Whether you are concerned about a suspicious mole, or keen to keep a close eye on all your skin changes, our Nurse Consultant in Dermatology at Elan Medical Skin Clinic in Rayleigh, Essex can provide you with the reassurance that you will receive the correct diagnosis in a timely fashion. Appointments for skin cancer screening or mole checks can normally be booked within a few days. For the small number of patients diagnosed with skin cancer, a proactive approach is more likely to lead to less treatment and an improved cosmetic and overall outcome.

When should I get my moles checked?

If a mole has changed recently, or it has suspicious features, your GP will arrange referral to a plastic surgeon or dermatologist who has a special interest in skin cancer. This service is available in the NHS, although waiting times to be seen in a clinic can be many weeks, or privately if you have medical insurance or want to pay for treatment. Mole removal is advised if you have noticed a mole that:

• Has increased in size
• Has changed in colour
• Is over 7mm in size
• Has an irregular shape
• Has an irregular colour
• Is inflamed or oozing

Although the majority of moles that present with these clinical signs will not be cancerous, a small proportion will contain malignant cells and may require further treatment following initial mole removal. Black or dark brown moles may be a sign of melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer that can result in patient mortality. If you have noticed any of the above features you should consider seeking medical advice.

Skin Cancer Screening

This service is for anyone with concerns about new or growing moles. This involves a detailed examination of your moles, and a complete skin examination, to give you peace of mind and ensure early detection of any problems.

One-Stop Mole Removal

This fast-track service is for anyone that wants a mole removing because it is suspicious of cancer or they feel it is unsightly. You can book an appointment at our Medical Skin Clinic in Rayleigh, Essex. Moles removed within the clinic will be sent to a pathologist for interpretation.

How do I book an appointment?

You can either call Elan Medical Skin Clinic on 01268 770660 between 9.30am and 5pm Monday to Saturday or you can book your skin cancer screening appointment by going to our online booking form and one of our reception team will contact you by phone or email, whichever you prefer. You will be asked to pay your initial consultation fee by credit or debit card on confirming your appointment.

Profhilo – An Innovative Discovery for Bio-remodeling

As we get older, the levels of hyaluronic acid (HA) that we all naturally have in our bodies decrease. Our skin looks drier, loses its firmness and its youthful glow, resulting in what skincare specialists call ‘skin laxity’. Profhilo has been voted ‘Product Innovation of the Year’ in 2016 and ‘Best Skin Enhancement Device’ in 2015 within the aesthetics industry.

Profhilo is a bio-remodelling and stimulatory product which works to remodel your skin. Although based on hyaluronic acid technology, it is not a volumising dermal filler. Profhilo uses their proprietary HydroLift® Action (bioregenerating effect in the epidermis & the remodelling action of the dermis) by integrating the levels of endogenous hyaluronic acid and it is able to optimise the HydroLift® Action thanks to a slow, long lasting release of high and low molecular weight hyaluronic acid.

As a stabilised product Profhilo lasts in the skin around 28 days. During this time the stimulation of 4 different types of collagen and elastin takes place by slow release of HA, at the same time it improves skin tone, texture, hydration and radiance. Profhilo counteracts skin laxity through a remodelling action of collagen and elastin fibres. It creates volume in the tissue where it is needed due to its high spreadability Therefore we cannot say that Profhilo is a skin booster as it also has a significant tightening / lifting effect on the tissue.

The product, once injected integrates within the tissue to:

• increase firmness and elasticity
• increase facial fullness with a tightening and lifting effect

In studies on Profhilo the following results have been obtained:

• After 4 weeks from treatment – improvement in lines & tightness of the skin
• After 8 weeks from treatment – definite lifting and tightening of the skin, more hydrated, in better health, increased firmness & elasticity

Why Choose Elan Medical Skin Clinic

Profhilo is registered as a medical device and as such, it should only ever be administered in a clinical environment by experienced medical practitioners. It should not be injected by beauty therapists or those claiming to be medical aestheticians.

Sue Ibrahim has over 30 years experience in dermatology and aesthetic medicine. She opened Elan Medical Skin Clinic 20 years ago and has many years experience in injectable facial fillers. Take a look at what our patients are currently saying about us: Read our Reviews

There’s no denying that this summer has been glorious so far, says Sue Ibrahim at Elan Medical Skin Clinic in Rayleigh, Essex. But the sunshine has led to more people than usual being bitten by insects and it seems that the horsefly population has exploded.

According to the BBC, calls to the NHS helpline 111 about insect bites are almost double the rate they normally are at this time of year and senior doctors are reporting incidents of patients being treated in hospital for infected horsefly bites.

One explanation for the rise in the number of horseflies is standing water, such as garden paddling pools, where they and other insects thrive. The advice is to drain paddling pools after use.

What should I do if I’ve been bitten by an insect?

Read More…

Hair loss can cause embarrassment for men and women – and it can also affect children. Male pattern hair loss is well known but there’s a version that affects women and this can be a very upsetting condition, especially if the bald area cannot be disguised, says Sue Ibrahim from Elan Medical Skin Clinic in Rayleigh Essex.

Patterned hair loss looks different in men and women. In women, there is widely spread thinning of the hair, mainly on the crown. The hairline often remains normal.

What causes female pattern hair loss?

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When it comes to skin conditions, leading skin expert Sue Ibrahim at Elan Medical Skin Clinic in Essex understands the emotional upset they can cause. And psoriasis is no exception.

What is psoriasis?

Psoriasis is a common inflammatory skin disease affecting 2% of the population. It occurs equally in men and women, can appear at any age, and tends to come and go unpredictably. It is not infectious and it does not scar the skin although sometimes it can cause a temporary increase or reduction in skin pigmentation.

Psoriasis can affect the nails and the joints as well as the skin. About half of people with psoriasis have psoriasis affecting the nails. For people with moderate to severe psoriasis about one in three will develop psoriatic arthritis at some time.

Can I treat psoriasis?

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We are delighted to announce that Sue Ibrahim from Elan Medical Skin Clinic in Rayleigh, Essex has recently become a grandmother. Her grandson’s birth at the end of March highlighted the need to remind new mums that dermatologists do not recommend using aqueous cream or Sudocrem on babies.

Aqueous cream contains sodium laureth sulphate (SLS), a detergent that breaks down the skin barrier. SLS functions as a stabiliser and cleansing agent and is a known skin irritant. However, aqueous cream products often contain other ingredients such as chlorocrescol, cetostearyl alcohol and parabens, which may also cause or contribute to adverse skin reactions.

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Rosacea is not caused by consuming too much alcohol, explains Sue Ibrahim from Elan Medical Skin Clinics in Rayleigh Essex, teetotalers are just as susceptible. Nor does it only affect people with very fair skin. Rosacea is now thought to be caused by the Demodex mite – and sadly this little bug isn’t fussy about skin tone, race or gender.

Sue, our nurse consultant in dermatology says there are newly licensed prescription creams to manage rosacea although they are not widely available on an NHS prescription due to the ongoing expense incurred. But Sue can prescribe them, if required and our rosacea phototherapy comes in handy for flare-ups.

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In our last blog, Sue Ibrahim, a nurse consultant dermatologist and medical director of Elan Medical Skin Clinic in Essex, stressed the importance of only believing scientifically proven advice. This time she takes a look at general skin care tips including using moisturisers and detoxing.

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